A message from Dr. Chris McGrath, Vice-President, Students:
We are pleased to welcome Dr. Brandon Smith to Niagara College as the Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives (2-year term). Brandon will join us on November 25, 2024, and will work with partners across the college to lead strategic initiatives that strengthen the ways we work together to realize our shared commitment to student success. Examples of these projects include:
- helping to build a student success ecosystem informed by Strategic Enrolment Management (SEM) and our commitments to EDI, Indigenization, sustainability and wellbeing;
- developing an impact to practice quality framework for student services and experience;
- building a student data ecosystem that facilitates student agency and choice along the student journey.
Dr. Smith comes to NC with 15 years of experience in higher education at McMaster University, Toronto Metropolitan University, Mount Royal University, and Michigan State University. Currently the Special Projects Liaison in the Office of the Vice-Provost, Students at TMU, Brandon collaborated on several major change initiatives at the university including the accreditation of the TMU Medical School, a student retention strategy, student service impact assessments, and integrating equity-based training and the SafeSport framework for varsity athletics. With a career that began in student housing, Brandon’s work has included accreditation and program quality, research on campus ecology and climate, I-EDI program development, factors that affect the learning experience for each domestic and international students, and program development to advance student retention and success.
Brandon holds a PhD in Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education from Michigan State University, where his dissertation explored the mindsets of higher education administrators, and how they respond to everyday challenges at work. He has presented extensively at academic conferences throughout North America, and published a chapter focusing on the experiences of international students from Asia studying in Canada.
Brandon is from the Niagara Region, and fondly recalls visiting family members who worked at the Welland campus during his childhood. He is excited to return to the Region from the fray of downtown Toronto. Brandon is especially looking forward to getting back to regularly enjoying some of Niagara’s best goods from the Portage Bakery in Niagara Falls and some amazing meals from the Rex Hotel in Welland. Outside of work, Brandon enjoys cooking, entertaining, cycling, and photography.
Please join me in welcoming Brandon to Niagara College!
